Device for assisting penmanship



(No Model.)

J. D. MoMEEN. DEVICE FOR ASSISTING PENMANSHIP.

No. 499,029. Patented June 6, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN DOUGLAS MOMEEN, OF MOUNT VERNON, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR ASSlSTlNG PENMANSHIP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,029, dated June 6, 1893. 1

Application filed October 22, 1892- To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN DOUGLAS Mo- MEEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Mount Vernon, in the county of Jefferson and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Assisting Penmanship; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved device for supporting the hand while writing. Children in learning to write find it extremely difficult to secure the proper position of the hand to obtain the best results, owing to the want of a support for the fingers, which not only renders the operation tedious and laborious, but frequently results in the penmanship being acquired in an improper and incorrect manner. Older persons, who have mastered the art, also find writing very tiresome owing to the same cause.

My invention is designed to provide a novel device by which the above difficulties and objections may be overcome, and it consists essentially in a device which may be readily attached to and detached from the fingers, whereby the hand may be supported in proper position, with the nails or tips of the little and next adjoining finger, just resting upon the paper or other surface written upon, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view of a hand showing the mannerof grasping my improved device preparatory to writing. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the support.

In the said drawings the reference numeral 1 denotesa short block preferably cylindrical in form, and made of cork or other light ma terial, provided with a peripheral groove 2, and a central aperture into which is inserted a small rod 3, of metal or other suitable material. Connected with the block 1, by means of a cord or ribbon 4, is a small plate or strip 5, of wood or other light material, the cord or ribbon seating in the peripheral groove 2.

Serial No. 449,548. (No model.)

The block 1 may be made of a single piece of suitable material, or it may be composed of three disks connected and held together by the rod 2, the inner disk being of smaller diameter than the outer ones, so as to form an annular space to receive the cord or ribbon.

In using the device, the cord or ribbon is passed between the little and next adjoining finger with the plate 5 resting upon the backs of the fingers between the knuckles and the joints, and the block grasped by the said fin gers, so that the nails or tips thereof will lightly rest upon the writing material, as seen in Fig. 1. The rod 3 also rests upon the writing material and prevents the hand from turning to the right, and should be adjustable in the aperture in the block.

The parts above described may be made of any material found suitable, and the block is made of diiferent sizes to suit varying sizes of hands. The cord or ribbon should be so proportioned that when the same is inserted between the fingers, both the plate 5 and block will be held closely against the same. From the above it will be seen that a very efficient support is provided for the hand which will be of material assistance to scholars learning to write, and also to those who are proficient in the art of penmanship.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated the manner of holding and attaching the block to the hand preparatory to commencing to write. When in use the hand is turned slightly to the right, so that the tips of the third and fourth fingers and the outer end of the rod 3, will rest upon the paper.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- The herein described device consisting of the block having an aperture therein and a peripheral groove, the rod inserted in said.

aperture, the plate and the cord connected with said plate and engaging the block through the groove, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN DOUGLAS MOMEEN. Witnesses: CHAS. A. MOMEEN,

BILLINGTON MOMEEN. 

